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¹ But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a slave though he is lord of all;² but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.³ So we also, when we were children, were being made slaves under the rudiments of the world:⁴ but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,⁵ that he might redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.⁶ And because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.⁷ So that you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

⁸ Nevertheless at that time, not knowing God, you served as slaves to those that by nature are no gods:⁹ but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how do you turn back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, to which you desire to serve as slaves over again?¹⁰ You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.¹¹ I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor on you in vain.

¹² I urge you, brothers, become as I [am], for I also [have become] as you [are]. You did me no wrong:¹³ but you know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you the first time:¹⁴ and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh you did not despise, nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.¹⁵ Where then is that blessedness of yours? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.¹⁶ So then have I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?

¹⁷ They zealously seek you in no good way; no, they desire to shut you out, that you may seek them.¹⁸ But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹ My children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you-²⁰ but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

²¹ Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?²² For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman, and one by the free woman.²³ Nevertheless the [son] by the slave woman is born after the flesh; but the [son] by the free woman [is born] through promise.²⁴ Which things contain an allegory: for these [women] are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children to slavery, which is Hagar.²⁵ Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answers to the Jerusalem that now is: for she works as a slave along with her children.²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.²⁷ For it is written, Rejoice, you barren that do not bear; Break forth and cry, you that do not travail: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that has the husband.²⁸ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.²⁹ But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, so also it is now.³⁰ Nevertheless what does the scripture say? Cast out the slave woman and her son: for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.